The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) request to redeploy the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Edo State, Anugbum Onuoha, ahead of the September 21 governorship election.
Onuoha’s relationship with Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, led to raised eyebrows, with Governor Godwin Obaseki and the PDP expressing fears of bias towards the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Edo State PDP chairman, Anthony Aziegbemhin, submitted a formal protest letter to INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu, citing Onuoha’s close ties with Wike, including being his cousin.
However, INEC’s Chief Press Secretary, Rotimi Oyekanmi, stated that the REC would not be redeployed.
He said the election’s outcome would be determined by the voting process, not the REC’s office.
Oyekanmi explained that polling unit results would be declared by Presiding Officers, with party agents and stakeholders present, and uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing portal for transparency.
He said, “The REC for Edo State will not be redeployed. The governorship election will be conducted on 21st September 2024 in 4,519 polling units, not in the REC’s office.
“In the same manner, polling unit results will be declared by the respective Presiding Officers after the voting, ballot sorting and counting processes, in the presence of accredited party agents and other stakeholders.
“The PO will also take a picture of the PU result in each polling unit with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, and upload the same to the INEC Result Viewing portal. This process is not the same as electronic voting or electronic transmission and collation of results.
“The IReV is for transparency purposes. The Nigerian constitution does not yet recognise electronic voting. Copies of the PU results will be given to accredited party agents”, he said.
Recall that the PDP refused to sign the peace accord for the election.